The Resonance Point is Getting ANNOYING...

[PearlcorderS701]

Hey, Fellow 'Holics...

As I continue to map a trajectory for upgrading my Polk PSW350 -- for something like an SVS or HSU -- I am still dealing with the 350 horribly rattling some wall decorations my wife picked out in our living room. No matter how I position the 350 on the main wall (it sits to the left of the main left Polk RTi12) or adjust the calibration levels, the rattling of this metal decoration won't stop.

As I attempt to scrape up funds from somewhere in order to afford a new sub, I'd like to see if I can stop the 350 from rattling these wall decorations as best as possible right now -- is there something I can install outside of bass traps that can help absorb some of these resonance waves traveling to the wall the decorations are on? I know a member here once guided me to some kind of "platform" looking device that can sit under the sub, unless I am mistaken -- is there something that can assist with this?

 

[its phillip]

The platform thingy you are thinking of is probably a subdude or a gramma...but i have no idea if one of them will solve your problems since i don't use one.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

The platform thingy you are thinking of is probably a subdude or a gramma...but i have no idea if one of them will solve your problems since i don't use one.

Thanks Phillip; I'll look into them...

Any other ideas for squelching rattling resonant objects from a sub's waves?

 

[BufordTJustice]

Treat the source of the noise. I have an eD A7s-450 and had the same issues with some metal wall deco from BB&B. Some cheap adhesive rubber pads, cut into small pieces with an exacto knife, and applied to the back of the deco solved my problem. If you wanna go crazy overboard...buying some fill-insulation from the homeless depot or lowes and filling the wall cavity with it also helps a bunch, but would cost more.

 

[shadyJ]

The only sure way to deal with that is to bolt everything down. For hanging decorations, is there a way you can fasten them to the wall? The gramma or subdude should help with it to some extant. My advice is to buy one of those to see how it alleviates the rattling before you go for the Hsu or SVS. Because if the pad doesn't help much with a sub like the Polk PSW350, than you will have some real problems with a serious subwoofer. Play some continuous bass test tones at different frequencies to see what is rattling, and then deal with the rattling objects individually.

 

[sholling]

I've moved from subdudes to carpet spikes with front firing subs on carpet but I'm still a huge fan of subdude/grammas for down firing subs. A Great Gramma by itself helped a lot. So have bass traps. I've also put small felt pads ($3/dz @ walmart) behind all of my painting and wall hangings. I've gone from everything rattling like castanets to no rattles with just those few changes. I think I'd start with the felt pads.

 

[Pyrrho]

Treat the source of the noise. I have an eD A7s-450 and had the same issues with some metal wall deco from BB&B. Some cheap adhesive rubber pads, cut into small pieces with an exacto knife, and applied to the back of the deco solved my problem. ...

I agree with this. If something is rattling on the wall, put something like a piece of rubber (or cloth or whatever soft thing) behind it to cushion it against the wall, and then the rattling should go away, or at least diminish considerably.

A new subwoofer is unlikely to affect this, unless its output is significantly less. Don't expect to solve anything to do with the rattling with a better subwoofer.

You can also try another suggestion by someone else:

... bolt everything down. ...

If you can securely attach the decorations to the wall, then that may work well for getting rid of the rattling.

 

[KEW]

Thanks Phillip; I'll look into them...

Any other ideas for squelching rattling resonant objects from a sub's waves?

Liquid Nails is your friend!

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Thanks for all the input, fellas. Much appreciated; with regard to my comments about switching my sub from the 350 to an SVS or HSU, it's not that I wanted to upgrade subs thinking this was going to solve the rattling problem, I was merely pointing out that I was getting ready, finally, to consider dumping my POS 350 -- of course, I am aware of the fact that by swapping in a new, more powerful sub like an SVS or HSU the rattles won't disappear and will most likely be progressively more aggressive...

I will consider the suggestions regarding adding treatments to the source of the rattles, which I believe is a metal decoration we purchased at Home Goods that sits above the fireplace, but I think I would want to go the "sub on an absorbing platform" route first. Any other input on these platform kind of devices? Are they worth buying?

 

[skizzerflake]

I've had powerful subs on various bases, but rattling is a question of resonance and generally not transmitted through the floor and walls. It's a matter frequency; when the sub sends out a strong signal at a frequency that agitates an object, it rattles. No matter what you put under the sub, it will happen unless you could filter the exact frequency, which would then defeat the purpose of having a good sub. You should address the problem at the rattling object.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I've had powerful subs on various bases, but rattling is a question of resonance and generally not transmitted through the floor and walls. It's a matter frequency; when the sub sends out a strong signal at a frequency that agitates an object, it rattles. No matter what you put under the sub, it will happen unless you could filter the exact frequency, which would then defeat the purpose of having a good sub. You should address the problem at the rattling object.

Thank you, skizz...even though this is a bit of disheartening news...

But would one of these "bases" or "platform" devices at least attempt to reduce some of the vibrations being sent across the wall with the rattling decoration?

 

[Pyrrho]

Thank you, skizz...even though this is a bit of disheartening news...

But would one of these "bases" or "platform" devices at least attempt to reduce some of the vibrations being sent across the wall with the rattling decoration?

It is a question of why the wall decorations are vibrating. If it is through the transmission of the contact of the subwoofer to the floor and the floor to the wall, then it could help, but if it is purely a matter of the vibrations in the air vibrating the decoration, then a special platform will do absolutely nothing.

But regardless of which it is, securing the decoration to the wall or putting some sort of padding between it and the wall will help, which is why it is a better idea.

 

[walter duque]

I would start off with a subdude or gramma. Sooner or later everybody is going to own one anyway. I don't know what took me so long to buy mine. That definently is money not wasted. What kind of decorations are we talking about?

 

[lsiberian]

Subdudes and Great Gammas do help reduce coupling based transmission and help to tighten up a sub in many situations. I recommend them to any sub owner because they have many benefits that you might not even think of. Such as making transport easier.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Thanks for all the input so far, guys.

As for the type of decoration, it is a metal piece shaped like a big flower that surrounds one side of our fireplace (with the same decoration on the other side of the fireplace wall) which was purchased at Home Goods; this thing rattles like nobody's business during a bass hit...

A couple of days ago, I moved the sub around on the same wall it's on (it sits to the left of my left front main), pretty much just moving it down the wall a bit away from the left front speaker -- I don't know how, but this seems to have reduced the general bass output greatly (without touching any calibration levels anywhere) and while there's still the rattle in the wall decoration it's not as bad, but the bass output is nowhere near as tactile as it once was. I'm getting fed up with this all...

 

[kiwiaudionut]

This post is a few months old now, but if you have not solved your issue, i suggest you try bluetack between the wifes ornament and the wall. I put this stuff everywhere in my last living room, as i had to tolerate many pieces of dinky crap "decorating" the place.

 

[darien87]

Treat the source of the noise. I have an eD A7s-450 and had the same issues with some metal wall deco from BB&B. Some cheap adhesive rubber pads, cut into small pieces with an exacto knife, and applied to the back of the deco solved my problem. If you wanna go crazy overboard...buying some fill-insulation from the homeless depot or lowes and filling the wall cavity with it also helps a bunch, but would cost more.

Your screen name made me laugh.

"There is no way, no way that you could come from my loins. When I get home the first thing I'm gonna do is punch your mama in the mouth."

 

[PearlcorderS701]

This post is a few months old now, but if you have not solved your issue, i suggest you try bluetack between the wifes ornament and the wall. I put this stuff everywhere in my last living room, as i had to tolerate many pieces of dinky crap "decorating" the place.

Thanks; no, I haven't solved the issue -- depending on how I move the sub on the front wall, the resonance point shifts a few degrees on that decoration.

 

[j_garcia]

I agree with the others, the sub isn't the issue and a new sub is only going to make it worse IMO. I would actually say museum putty or 3M Blu-tack would do the trick quite easily and inexpensively.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I'm not really planning on getting that new, larger sub until I get this issue, somehow, under control; I am under the realization that a larger, more powerful sub such as an SVS I have been eyeballing, is going to make that rattle even worse.